TCS on 95 series

[BirdMan Member Find all posts View Profile Close BirdMan]

I had a visit from my uncle over the weekend who has a '99 model Grande Auto. It has a TCS light (I'm guessing Traction Control) and his transfer lever only has 3 positions H-N-L. Do these models have a diff lock, or do they not need it because they have Traction control? Does the Traction control operate in both Hi and Low ? Anyone with this feature/model able to shed some light. My searches found nothing.

cheers

[perth90s Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close perth90s]

Re: TCS on 95 series

Hi David

Assuming its the same as my 2002, which only has H-N-L on the stubby - then the centre diff lock switch is on the rhs below the ignition (looks like the standard H symbol)
He should also have a activtrc and H symbol looking thing below the speedo which flashes green for any wheel that has lost traction and is having the traction control applied. It also has a centre circle which turns orange when the diff lock button is pressed and centre diff engaged. Traction control works all the time, HL, LL, HUL, LUL - you cant turn it off even if you wanted to.

Cheers

[minh Member Find all posts View Profile Close minh]

Re: TCS on 95 series

Perth09s

You are a champ mate. You cleared that up for me too. I always thought that by throwing my 2001 VX 3.4 Automatic into "L" will look the diff. Now I realise it doesnt until you press that button on the right hand side.

I always thought that button turned on Active TRC (Traction Control) because the orange lights up using the same area on the speedo area. Now I realise that orange light means Diff lock.
The 4 wheels will light up green if traction is broken ( Now realising this is on all the time)

One thing I want to clarify is that it only locks when you are in neutral otherwise when it continously blink that means the diff cant lock in because you are not in neutral?

Thanks again.

[minh Member Find all posts View Profile Close minh]

Re: TCS on 95 series

Im wrong. It does lock when in parked too. Maybe my unit is getting stuck? Its it easy to take out and clean upthe motor?

[BirdMan Member Find all posts View Profile Close BirdMan]

Re: TCS on 95 series

I read an article in an old 4x4 Australia mag where they tried a TCS equipped Prado against a rear-only locked Prado on a Toyota testing course. The results were very favourable towards the TCS model. It out-performed the locker in the other one. Both were better than no locker at all.
This impressed me about the Toyota TCS system. Is it better than a rear-locker as it works on both axles and doesn't affect steering like a front locker would?
I'd love to know or was it just marketting spin ?

[Leethal Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Leethal]

Re: TCS on 95 series

Minh it will only lock in Park if the mechanism is lined up at the time you engaged Park, I think you will find this doesn't happen every time.

It will engage in neutral much quicker because there is no load on the mechanisms and with everything rotating it can "locate" itself easier.

It will also engage while in gear but may take a bit longer to engage since its under load.
Much the same when disengaging, you may have to drive straight ahead or reverse slightly to take the load off before it disengages.

Lee